Many casino operating companies own multiple casinos in several locations. It has proved to be advantageous for such companies to devise player loyalty promotions that span these properties. Historically, multi-property player management systems accumulate player activity across all properties. For example, many casinos track a player's total wagers, theoretical win, actual win, complementary balance, player point balance, and other key player behavior statistics across all casinos managed by that operator.
This information may be used to determine a global worth of the player to the operator, as opposed to a single playing location. Many casino operators accomplish this by dividing their player database into tiers, with the highest tier being the most valuable players and the lowest tier being the least valuable players from the casino's perspective. The casino typically uses a statistic such as theoretical win to establish player worth. Once this global player worth is established, casinos target promotional offers commensurate a player's worth. The promotions are designed to entice further play at one or more of the operator's casinos.
The promotions usually take advantage of the multi-property nature of the business, such as allowing redemption of promotions at all casinos; targeting redemptions to a single property that might have more capacity than other properties; and using a complementary trip to a more desirable property as a promotional offer
All of these generally rely on manual processes for communication of promotional information to the customers and for redeeming promotions. For example, promotional offers are generally communicated via direct mail to qualifying players, or via brochures, signage and literature at a casino. Further, redemption of promotional offers—whether they are cash, complementaries, etc. —is generally done manually at a players-club booth at each casino.
As used herein, the term bonus is an award, e.g., like the promotional offer, given to a player of an electronic gaming machine (EGM). The term bonus herein refers to any such award that is not paid by the device in accordance with its pay table. Such bonuses and systems for implementing them are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,961 (the '961 patent) and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,125, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Also hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes is U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,569, which describes a bonus promotion like the one described herein, except implemented at a single casino. A bonus can include an award of cash or machine credits, player points, or complementary amenities.